The passing of three Trinbago heroes

THE EDITOR: Condolences to the families of Carlton “Maifan” Dratyon who passed away on December 31, 2004, Frankie “Mr Kaiso” Francis who passed away on Thursday January 6, 2005 and the man with the infectious laugh, Carlton Joseph known calypsotically as “Lord Blakie” who departed on Friday January 7, 2005. These three heroes have left us a rich legacy of their work. I am amongst the lucky ones who has a copy of a recording of “Last Train to San Fernando” by the “Woodbrook Invaders Steel Orch” that features “Maifan” amongst others made in 1950 at “Lord Invader’s” calypso club in 1950.

“Mr Kaiso” was a title bestowed on Frankie Francis around the late 1940s to early 1950s, as Frankie can be heard via his “sax” on hundreds of recordings where he backed calypsonians etc on labels ie “Dial”, “Telco” etc and many recordings under his own name (over 100) including his first and probably his only album titled “Musically Yours”. That infectious laugh is no more. Gone is the “Warlord” who has left us with many of his hits.

His first recording exactly 50 years ago was “Steel Band Clash” and he went on to give us many others of which I will name some so one can get a ‘sense’ of his range: Too Much Smut (1957), Send Them Back (1960), Maria (1962), Sweet Blakie (1963), Me Alone to Fight Them and Arabian Festival (1964), Blakie’s Gas Station (1965), Blakie Never Lie (1966), Hold the Pussy, Something Wrong and The Riddle” (1967), Ungrateful (1968), Road March Recipe (1969), Simple Calypso (1970), Message to Granger (1971), Stop Capital Punishment (1973), Beret Rastaman which was a scathing attack on Jamaican Peter Tosh and a host of other songs too numerous to mention. Trinidad is a land that has many heroes but it appears that we do not care to have them in preference for foreigners . . . Rest in Peace my Heroes.

S BARRY
Diego Martin